Phrasal Verbs/H

Phrasal verbs beginning with H. Select a phrasal verb for more details.

hammer out

to reach an agreement or solution after a lot of negotiation or discussion

hand around

If you hand around things like drinks or cakes, you give one to each person in a group.

hand back

to give something back to someone by hand

hand down

to pass knowledge or skills from one generation to the next

hand in

If you hand something in, you give it to someone in authority, like a teacher, a policeman or a security guard.

hand on

If you hand something on, you pass it to somebody else.

hand out

to give something directly to a number of people

hand over

If you hand something over, you give it to someone who has demanded it.

hang around British and Australian English INFORMAL

to spend time somewhere without doing anything useful

hang on (1)

If you hang on to something, you hold it tightly.

hang on (2) British and Australian English INFORMAL

If someone tells you to hang on, they want you to wait for a moment.

hang onto INFORMAL

If you hang onto something, you keep it instead of throwing it away, giving it away, or selling it.

hang out (1)

to hang wet clothes outside to dry

hang out (2) INFORMAL

to spend time in a certain place, or with certain people

hang over

If you feel that you are facing a threat or a danger, we can say the threat or the danger hangs over you.

hang up

If you hang up a piece of clothing or a towel, you hang it on a hook, a rail, a hanger, etc.

hang with American English INFORMAL

to spend time with

happen to

If something happens to you, an event or an occurrence affects you directly.

have against

If you have something against someone, you don't like them because of something they've said or done in the past.

have on (1)

If you have something on, you are wearing it.

have on (2)

If you have something on at a certain time, you've arranged to do something at that time.

have out

If you have something out, like a tooth or an organ, it's removed from your body.

have round British and Australian English

If you have people round, they visit your home, usually for a meal or for a social gathering.

head for

to go in a certain direction or towards a particular place or situation

head off (1) INFORMAL

to leave a place

head off (2)

to stop something bad from happening

head up

to act as the head of a group or team, or to manage an organization

hear about

If you hear about something, someone tells you about it or you find out about it from an information source like the news media.

hear from

If you hear from someone, they call you, email you or contact you in some other way.

hear of

If you've heard of someone, you know who they are and what they do.

hear out

If you hear somebody out, you listen to them until they've finished what they are saying.

heat up (1)

If you heat something up, you make it hotter.

heat up (2)

If something like a discussion, a contest or a conflict heats up, it gets more intense, more exciting or more dangerous.

help out

If you help someone out, you do something to help them.

hem in

to restrict someone's movement, or to limit someone's freedom

hide away

If you hide away, you go to a place where very few people can find you.

hit back

If someone is beating or attacking you and you hit back, you fight to defend yourself.

hit on

to have a idea or to think of something

hold against

to dislike somebody, or be angry with them, because you blame them for something bad that happened in the past

hold back

to stop someone or something from going forward, or from progressing in some way

hold down

to stop something from rising by pressing down on it or putting a heavy object on it

hold forth FORMAL

to talk about a topic for a long time, often in a way that other people find boring

hold off

to delay doing something until a later time

hold on (1)

to hold something like a railing or an overhead strap so you don't fall over

hold on (2)

to wait for a short time

hold out (1)

If you hold something out, you hold it where other people can reach it.

hold out (2)

If a supply of something holds out, it continues to be enough and it doesn't run out.

hold out for

to wait until you get what you want, especially when negotiating

hold out on

to refuse to give information to someone

hold to

to make someone do what they promised or agreed to do

hold up (1)

to cause a delay, or make someone or something later than expected

hold up (2)

to support something and stop it from falling down

hold up (3)

to steal from someone while threatening them with a gun or a similar weapon

hook up (1)

If you hook up things like computers and their peripherals, or the components of a home theatre, you connect them with cables.

hook up (2) INFORMAL

to meet with someone and join with them in work, travel or leisure activities

hunt down

If you hunt down someone, you try to find them and capture or kill them.

hurry up

If you hurry up, you try to do something faster.

hush up

to try to keep something secret, especially something that could damage the reputation of a person or an organization

Contributor: Matt Errey